THE FIRST GIG

“Chaoxiang, we have a problem.”

Zhao Chaoxiang gave his best friend a tiger look after he reported a problem. This is not the right time to have a trouble, especially when the one reporting to him looks so hopeless. He looks haunted, betrayed and heartbroken. This confirms that he isn’t trolling or pranking his friend, which makes it harder for Chaoxiang. Being in this situation, Chaoxiang is no in a state of anxiety, having to handle the pressure of performing and dealing with whatever issue this friend is trying to report to him.

“What problem?”

“Suyin left the country.”

“What?”

Chaoxiang froze in his position the second he heard the news. He is hoping that his friend will take back what he said. This is isn’t the time to joke about something major like this. Suyin leaving means losing both a girlfriend and a singer for Chaoxiang.

“This is my first gig and she promised we’ll sing ‘Flowers for Su’ together. Why did she leave?”

‘Flowers for Su’ is a song written by Chaoxiang dedicated to a very beautiful woman. Suyin benefited a lot from Chaoxiang when they were still together. He writes a lot of songs for her to sing, all of them suited to her range. Not only that, these songs are all about her, his feelings for her, and their relationship.

“Chaoxiang, the stage is already set. You can’t back out now. Why not sing the song alone?”

“I can’t just do that. Suyin arranged the song for her range and if I perform it by myself, I will only end up straining my voice. I need to sustain my voice for at least thirty minutes.”

Chaoxiang is now confused on what to do. He couldn’t even process what his friend just said, and now he should also perform? With his girlfriend leaving the country at the very time he needs her, he is now trapped in a mental descent. The man feels like the heaven is against him pursuing his career.

“Excuse me. I heard your conversation. Can I help you sing the female part?”

A girl hiding her face with a red baseball cap popped up out of nowhere and asked them. She rocks the unbuttoned sky blue long sleeves that she wears. Underneath it, is a white shirt that has a little logo printed on it. The other half of her body wears nothing anything crazy. She’s just wearing a pair of black pants and a white rubber shoes.

“Why don’t you take your cap off first?” Chaoxiang coldly said, dubious about her offer.

“I can’t. It’s my first time singing live in this university… I am very shy. But I want to help you.” She said, her voice trembling, making Chaoxiang even more doubtful.

“I said take it off.”

“Chaoxiang!”

When Chaoxiang attempted to lift the lady’s cap, his best friend stopped him from accomplishing his goal to expose this woman’s face. The man grunted and stepped away from them, allowing both him and the young woman to breathe. Whoever this girl is, she is pissing him off. Clearly, she’s eavesdropping to their conversation just now and she thinks she can get away with it by representing to help solve this mess they’re in?

“Let her help us without removing her cap. It’s just a gig. If anything, she looks cool with it.”

“Fine.”

The lady who is willing to help them just look at him and witness him leave the place. Chaoxiang dismissed her and headed to the school’s music studio. She wants to protest and express how she hates it that she’s being taken for granted. However, she got here because she wanted to help. So she decided to suck all the bad treatment up.

“Are you from this university? Are you also graduating?” Chaoxiang’s best friend asked.

The woman is just about to answer his question when Chaoxiang called her attention. He is instructing the two of them to follow him to the music studio. While walking, she tries to answer the question given to her. It’s another way to stop herself from worrying.

“I am a third year mass communication student in this school.”

“The song you’re about to sing is Chaoxiang’s composition. It’s not released yet so I think that’s the reason why he doubts you can help. But do you really know the song?”

When she nodded her head, the man talking to her seemed to calm down. She has no reason to lie to Chaoxiang. The lady just happens to know the song. Every afternoon when she comes home from school, she has the sweetest privilege to listen to Chaoxiang play and sing the song they’re talking about without him knowing. Thinking about its lyrics, the woman understood that the song was written for her twin sister.

“I’m familiar with the song.”

“Chaoxiang just broke up with his ex, so that explains the rough treatment. Please bear with his cold shoulder.”

Meixiu, the woman who volunteered to help nodded and smiled. Not only did her twin left her, but she also broke up with her boyfriend, the man who’s nervously rehearsing inside the music hall. So, when Meixiu entered the room, she expected the worst treatment from Chaoxiang. She gathered a lot of courage before she shoved herself inside only to see him look at her as if she was a rare species.

“What are you doing with your chest?” He calls out the weird rhythm Meixiu makes when she thumps her chest to calm herself.

When she was about to answer, she felt him stole her hand from her chest as he sought for her face. Just a second before he could lift her cap, she was able to step back.

“Can you sing?”

“Uh…”

“Get out if you can’t”

“I will sing and I’ll play the guitar too.”

“Then prove yourself to me.”

As Meixiu starts to strum the guitar, a familiar feeling embraced Chaoxiang. For some unknown reason, this lady’s aura reminds him of his ex-girlfriend Suyin. He’s certain that this woman is not her because she’s a lot taller than his ex. But something about her is too reminiscent of Suyin.

Meixiu, as the younger twin admires her sister a lot. Because of this, she emits the same vibes as her, unintentionally sending Chaoxiang her twin sister’s aura. Though Suyin is a highly liberated woman and she is wrapped in her own world, Meixiu can be her in some ways. And Chaoxiang feels like he can get used to this feeling. He somehow feels comfortable and safe that she will not ruin him.

Updated: 2024-11-06